User Reviews

A nice reddish brown under a thin head with very little lace. A spicy note is very noticeable, though the exact spice is hard to tell. At least some orange peel and coriander, but I do Not notice any banana. Nice honey taste to it, too. The server said he thought it was too strong for him, but I only felt a slight alcohol warming. A slightly cloying, but pleasant stickiness left behind.

Sourced from the Portland, OR, Rock Bottom Brewpub, this was sampled at Portland's 2003 Holiday Ale Festival - only 4 blocks away from the brewery! A Belgian tripel as winter warmer, not exactly true to style but that's ok. This tripel kind of ventures into saison territory too. Eh, all those Belgian style demarcations are kind of a blur anyway. A ripe, peachy gold color, darker than your everyday Duvel. Some tea flavors and a lot of fruit and spices. Is that a trace of candy cane? Hey why not, it's xmas. The Belgian yeast is really spicy, almost overwhelmingly so, but spices are what holiday beers are all about. This is notable for 3 reasons: 1. a unique twist on a tripel; 2. a unique twist on a winter warmer; 3. a surprisingly likable beer from a corporate brewpub chain.

I tried this beer at the Rock Bottom Brewery on Fountain Square in Cincinnati, OH. The tast was great with lots of spices. The mouthfeel was exceptional and it went together well with the Soft Pretels on the Appetizer menu. Give it a try after hitting the ice skating rink.

Sampled at the 2006 Holiday Ale Festival in Pioneer Square. Pours a bright golden color topped by a sizeable foamy head that lasts a little while. Spicy aroma of pale lame, clove, peppermint, and dark fruit. Palate is maltier, with the same aromatic spices coming through nicely before the swallow. Finish is all malt, accented by the considerable alcohol content. Body is a little thin, especially for such a strong beer. An enjoyable beer on this cold winter day out of doors.

Rock Bottom ~ Portland, OR
Thought I'd give this beer a try, since the keg had just been tapped earlier last evening.
Minimal head and smell (maybe the smoke in the bar area affected that?). Very nice taste, spicy and smooth. I agree with the other post that it was kind of saison-like and that tea was an element. I was a little surprised at the mild sweetness, a hint of nut & caramel, too...
It was pretty easy to drink two pints and could easily have had a third. ABV is not listed, but seemed to be fairly strong (6-7% range?) - I'm basing this on how "good" I was feeling afterward :-)!
Server said it would only be available for about 3-4 weeks so give it a try if you're in Portland...

On tap at the brewpub, served in a pils flute, Blitzen is a clear gold with only some wispy, white skim.

Smell is very estery, loads of bubblegum and bannas, which happens to suit my taste in Belgians perfectly!

Taste is also all about the bright, fruity esters, with a bit of spice phenols on the finish, which is dry and mineral laden and not at all cloying. Very tasty, perhaps a bit simple and surely to fruity for some, it really worked for me.

Mouthfeel is slick and digestible, not to sugary but rather dry, almost saison like.

Drinkability is really good if you like fruity, dry Belgian blondes. Sweet but nicely attenuated, the ABV at 8.3% is just big enough to satisfy without being overdone or overt, I liked this enough that I had two in a row! Good thing I was taking the max home...